Multiple stellar populations in massive LMC star clusters
Abstract
The recent discovery of multiple stellar populations in massive Galactic globular clusters poses a serious challenge for models of star cluster formation and evolution. A new angle on this problem is being provided by rich intermediate-age clusters in the Magellanic Clouds. In this contribution we describe the discovery of three such LMC clusters with peculiar main-sequence turn-off morphologies. The simplest interpretation of our observations is that each of these three clusters is comprised of two or more stellar populations spanning an age interval of ~300 Myr. Surprisingly, such features may not be unusual in this type of cluster.
- Publication:
-
The Magellanic System: Stars, Gas, and Galaxies
- Pub Date:
- March 2009
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2009IAUS..256..305M
- Keywords:
-
- globular clusters: general;
- galaxies: individual (LMC);
- Magellanic Clouds;
- galaxies: star clusters